FALL OF KLISURA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 10, 13 January 1941, Page 7

FALL OF KLISURA

GREAT IMPORTANCE

WAT TO TEPELENI OPEN

COURSE OF BATTLE

WEATHER HELPED ENEMY

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

LONDON, January 10.

The fall of Klisura, which has been received throughout Greece with wild enthusiasm, is possibly the most important victory since the outbreak of the Albanian war. It means the collapse of the main Italian resistance between Premedi and Valona, and the fall of Tepeleni can now be expected at any moment, giving the Greeks a commanding position in the continuance of their operations towards Valona and Berat, and after Berat, Elbasan. ■ - The battle has lasted since the fall of Premedi, but the weather has been the Italians' ally. The Greeks pushed on vigorously from Premedi and succeeded in preventing the Italians re-forming ,6n the 20-mile front from Premedi northwards. A series of rapid encircling movements forced repeated Italian withdrawals, and finally the Greeks captured the Italian centre, with its entire artillery, which was immediately turned on the Italians. The Greeks took Frasheri and forced back' the Italians on a convex line round . Klisura. Then the weather changed, turning the streams into raging torrents, after which the Greek operations frequently halted in mid-action. Blizzards reduced the visibility to a few feet, and snow lay four feet deep. , Today's operation was one which will live in the annals of Greece, and will certainly compromise the future of the Italians' chances to turn the fortunes of war in Albania.

KLISURA SACKED.

A Greek communique issued in Athens announces that Klisura • was found empty. It had been sacked and burned- About 500 prisoners, including twenty officers, have been cap.tured, and also material of all kinds,

including a war standard, four guns, some tanks, a number of mortars, and a quantity of automatic rifles. Greek aircraft have been very active on the field of battle, bombing and machinegunning enemy objectives. All the planes returned.

It is stated In Athens that the Greeks have occupied a mountain spur between Klisura and Tepeleni, which opens up the way to further successes.

A report from Struga says the Greeks are reported to have .repulsed three attacks by Italian motorised forces near Dukati. The Greeks are believed to have taken Trepeli, 17 miles north-west of Klisura. Six German bombers are reported to have arrived at Tirana from Italy, and later gone to the Elbasan front Greek planes today flew low over the roads, bombing and machine-gunning the retreating enemy, who abandoned a large number of fully-loaded lorries.